The first Woolworths store opened its doors to the public in Cape Town in October 1931. And it was founder Max Sonnenberg who captured the public’s imagination with dynamic store policies that set Woolworths apart from its competitors.
Three years later, a second branch opened in Durban, with another two in Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg a year later. And...
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In this role, you will be responsible for developing a range of Kids Footwear that is customer-focused, trend-relevant, and profitable.
Ensuring that the product strategy is aligned to the company’s brand positioning and seasonal objectives.
You will take ownership of the product journey from concept & design, developing product, briefing suppliers and working with footwear technologists to execute Quality product and a balanced assortment.
Job description
The development and execution of the seasonal departmental strategy that delivers against key customer, brand, and commercial objectives.
Collaborate with Head of Buying, Design and Sourcing to define the product and trading strategy in line with agreed KPIs.
Leverage global and local insights and include trend forecasting, post-seasonal analysis, customer analytics, and competitive benchmarking (e.g. EDITED, First Insights) to inform product direction.
Present seasonal product workshops and range assortment recommendations, including must-win categories and channel-specific needs.
Procure a balanced product range across Core, Key & Fashion items, that is Customer Centric, Quality driven with a clear pricing architecture.
Collaborate with Sourcing and TPD to develop and approve products, manage sample sign-off, and ensure critical path and merchandise cycle milestones are met.
Conduct product reviews and final range presentations, incorporating display and packaging strategies to enhance in-store execution.
Weekly analysis of trade using performance reports, to inform decisions, drive actions and optimize sales.
Actively contribute to weekly trade reviews and align actions with your team (Quad, Marketing, Visual Merchandising, and Supply Chain).
Keep the customer at the heart of your decision making by using customer insights, reviews, and research to shape product and range choices.
Contribute to competitor intelligence through regular market research, store visits, and supplier feedback.
Support promotional planning and recommend markdowns and volume adjustments based on performance.
Minimum requirements
Relevant tertiary qualification in Fashion, Retail Buying, or Commerce.
2–3 years’ experience in Footwear Buying
A strong understanding of a Kids Footwear Business.
Strong computer literacy, with proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, PLM, and EDITED.
A passion for Quality Footwear.
A continuous learning mindset with a drive for personal and professional growth.
Solid understanding of retail business and buying processes, including critical path management.
Up-to-date knowledge of the retail market and industry landscape.
Strong grasp of pricing strategies including markdowns, markups, sell-through, and visibility drivers.
Excellent numerical and analytical skills, with the ability to interpret data and drive product decisions.
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